Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. PIERCE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,474, dated October3, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

:lie it known that l, GEORGE R. PIERCE, of the city of Grand Rapids, inthe county of Kent and in the State of liliehigan, have invented certainnew and useful Imprownnents in Breech-Loadingl ireAi-ms; and do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to theletters of reference marked thereon making a part of this speciiieation.

My invention relates to that class of breee loading firearms in whichthe barrel or barrels are swung forward on -a pivot to open and backwardto elose their rear ends; and it consists in the construction andarrangement of alock to hold them firmly and securely in place, as willbe hereinafter more fully set forth.

I n order to enable other skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruct-ion and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in\vhieh-- ll i gnre l is a- .lmigitiulinal vertical section, showing thebarrel orbarrels locked. Fig.2 is a side view, showing the barrelsthrown open and Fig. 3 is atransverse section immediately in frontof thepivot point for the barrel or barrels.

A represents a portion of the frame, provided with an up 'ard-projocting fixed abutment or sta iionary breech l. The barrel or barrels G arepivoted at the front end of the frame A in such a manner that they cantip forward to open, and when closed their rear ends will be up againstthe abutment or breech B. The barrels O are near their rear ends, on theunder side, provided with a lug, D, which, when the barrels are closed,fits into a mortise in. the frame A. This lug is nearly L-shaped, asshown in Fig. 1, and in' the angle is made a semicircular groove for theinsertion of the inner end of a pawl, E. This in nor end of the pawl isrounded, as shown, and a gib or key, a, is dovetailed into the upperside of any assistance from the hand.

the rear end of the lug D, confining said pawl in its place, but at thesame time allowing it to turn onits bearin g. The pawl is pressed towardthe rear by means of a spring, 1), against the gib a; and when said gibshould become worn out it can readily be removed and replaced by anewone. The spring I) bears against the pawl E in a groove on the innerside thereof.

barrel and in the breech, so that when the bar rel is closed the pawlwill be forced by the spring 1) into the groove in the breech. Thiscircular groove is What may be termed a diminishing circle, so as toform with the pawl a wedge-lock for the barrel. Through the frame Apasses a bolt, G, to throw the pawl E forward, this bolt beingoperatedfor this purpose by means of a trigger, H, and thrown back againby a coilspring, (I, surrounding the bolt. By pulling the trigger H thepawl E is released andthrows the rear end of the barrel or barrelsupward without This device is equally applicable to single ordouble-barreled guns.

H avin gthus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- r l. The pawl E and spring I),in combinatio with the bolt G and trigger H, constructed and arranged tooperate substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the lug D, pawl E, gib a, spring b, bolt G, andtrigger H, all constructed and arranged to operate. substantially as andfor the purposes herein-set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand this1st day of March, 1871.

GEORGE R. PlEROE.

Witnesses:

HIRAM A. Bno'on, THOMPSON SINCLAIR.

The pawl works in a circular groove formed in the under side of the

